Vols ranked No. 18 in Coaches Poll

[OffTackleVol]

There’s so much unknown with this season, I think everyone could potentially have 2 losses going into the CFP.

Yes, there could be a boat load of teams with a 6-2 conference record and a 10-2, 9-3 overall record. Maybe as many as six.

 

[wtmvol]

I thought the same thing. I haven't looked at their schedule or anything, but that seems high.

Their schedule is kind of manageable as far as SEC schedules go, but back-loaded. 6 of their last 7 games are:

@ #9 LSU
#26 Oklahoma
#8 Alabama
@ #15 Ole Miss
@ #21 Texas A&M
#6 Clemson

 

[Proud Army Wife]

OU not ranked? Interesting. I’d have them in front of a lot of these teams.

 

[Vol524]

South Carolina 13 ? Ok

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Volfan76]

South Carolina 13 ? Ok

They beat a few teams they probably shouldn't have last year, but it seems like the media is always a sucker for an arrogant coach that makes bold claims and runs his mouth.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

They beat a few teams they probably shouldn't have last year, but it seems like the media is always a sucker for an arrogant coach that makes bold claims and runs his mouth.

It's a coach's poll, isn't it?

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Fine with that. It is higher than I expected. Florida at # 17 is a joke but we will see.

The rest of the poll doesn't seem that bad. Missing Texas A&M (I would swap them in for Florida).

I'm actually happy. I love it when we are disrespected. It makes winning even more enjoyable. Everyone will look stupid doubting us after we go 11-1 and win the SEC.

 

[05_never_again]

I get that having a good returning starting QB is huge for that sid eof the ball but does that warrant the hype? Is their defense going to be any good? Do they have anyone around Sellers who can produce or help produce? I am legit asking because I have no idea. I can't stand Beamer so I don't follow them

Every team has question marks, even teams who are universally thought to be really good. Sellers returning eliminates a big question mark, and it's the most important position on the field, so that alone is leading some coaches to rank them highly. They finished the 2024 season really strong, should have beaten LSU early in the season, and almost beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa; they could have had a 10-2 regular season.

Looking at their roster their WRs were on the team last year but didn't play/contribute much. On defense they lose Emmanwori but replaced him with an NC State transfer (Cisse) who was pretty good last year. They also return Dylan Stewart who had a huge year last year as a true freshman. They lost guys, but every team loses guys. IMO #13 is high but I see why they are ranked inside about the top 17 or 20.

 

[Volfan76]

It's a coach's poll, isn't it?

It is, but it's the exact same place they are in with the ESPN preseason poll. I don't think coaches are doing much more than copying that down in preseason.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Texas and Ohio St should be flipped - no way should a reigning Nat'l Champ not be ranked 1st in first pre-season poll.

Last year is last year. It has nothing to do with this season. This is a poll of how good teams will be in 2025 not about how good they were in 2024. That's what the final AP poll from last season was for. With that said, I think Texas being #1 is the right call. They should be the favorite to win the national title. They have a loaded roster and a potential superstar at QB.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Their schedule is backloaded to hell. The first team they play with a pulse is a road game at LSU in week 6. I wouldn’t be surprised if the polls have them in the top 10 by that point based purely on being undefeated.

My guess is the Gamecocks will be more like 3-2 at that point, and unranked.

I don't know who among Va Tech, Vandy, Mizzou, and Kentucky might get those two wins, but I'll bet money USCe doesn't get to the LSU game unscathed.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying those four teams are elite or anything. I'm just saying they're peer competition for South Carolina.

Go Vols!

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

It is, but it's the exact same place they are in with the ESPN preseason poll. I don't think coaches are doing much more than copying that down in preseason.

There's quite a bit of difference actually, most notably for us UT isn't even in the ESPN top 25.

Isn't tOSU 5 or 6 in the ESPN poll?

 

[TrueOrange]

So anyone curious about the full rankings can see them:

Rank	Team	Record	PTS	1st	Prev	Chg	Hi/Lo
1	Texas	0-0	1606	28	NR	-	1/1
2	Ohio State	0-0	1565	20	NR	-	2/2
3	Penn State	0-0	1525	14	NR	-	3/3
4	Georgia	0-0	1466	3	NR	-	4/4
5	Notre Dame	0-0	1360	0	NR	-	5/5
6	Clemson	0-0	1324	2	NR	-	6/6
7	Oregon	0-0	1307	0	NR	-	7/7
8	Alabama	0-0	1210	0	NR	-	8/8
9	LSU	0-0	1056	0	NR	-	9/9
10	Miami (FL)	0-0	823	0	NR	-	10/10
11	Arizona State	0-0	806	0	NR	-	11/11
12	Illinois	0-0	734	0	NR	-	12/12
13	South Carolina	0-0	665	0	NR	-	13/13
14	Michigan	0-0	580	0	NR	-	14/14
15	Ole Miss	0-0	573	0	NR	-	15/15
16	SMU	0-0	555	0	NR	-	16/16
17	Florida	0-0	498	0	NR	-	17/17
18	Tennessee	0-0	492	0	NR	-	18/18
19	Indiana	0-0	460	0	NR	-	19/19
20	Kansas State	0-0	438	0	NR	-	20/20
21	Texas A&M	0-0	392	0	NR	-	21/21
21	Iowa State	0-0	392	0	NR	-	21/21
23	BYU	0-0	287	0	NR	-	23/23
24	Texas Tech	0-0	261	0	NR	-	24/24
25	Boise State	0-0	246	0	NR	-	25/25

​

Others Receiving Votes​

Oklahoma 221; Missouri 142; Louisville 126; USC 116; Utah 86; Baylor 76; Auburn 50; Iowa 49; Memphis 34; Army West Point 33; Tulane 31; Georgia Tech 27; TCU 24; Nebraska 19; Syracuse 16; Washington 15; Navy 14; Arkansas 14; Duke 12; Colorado 12; Minnesota 11; UNLV 8; Florida State 8; Kansas 6; Vanderbilt 3; Buffalo 1;

 

[Sarms58]

In 2022 we were unranked and went 4-1 against teams ranked in the preseason poll. I don’t worry about the preseason polls - we just need to gel as a team and come out ready to play Syracuse.

As Bearcat Vol pointed out, last year over a third of the teams that finished in the top 15 were unranked in the preseason. The preseason polls and articles are generated for clicks - they know we are like a bunch of 20 year old sailors who’ve been at sea for months and are just about to come ashore…

 

[Other_Guy]

I'm honestly surprised they have them ranked at all.

 

[feathersax]

Texas #1
Georgia #4
Alabama #8
LSU #9
South Carolina #13
Ole Miss #15
Florida #17

NCAA College Football Coaches Poll | USA Today Sports

The US LBM Football Coaches Poll, published by USA TODAY Sports, is conducted weekly throughout the NCAA college football season. See the latest Top 25 rankings from the game’s best head coaches.

sportsdata.usatoday.com

LSU & SCjr.? Totally laughable.

 

[Tman44]

OU not ranked? Interesting. I’d have them in front of a lot of these teams.

So there are nine SEC teams inside the top 25. When you look at the "other receiving votes", OU comes in at 26, just missing out. Mizzou 27 - Auburn 32 - Arky 43 - Vandy 50. So that is 14 out of 16 SEC teams inside the top 50. Not too shabby. Miss ST and UK left out.

 

[Freak]

I'm honestly surprised they have them ranked at all.

You're not the only one. From what I’ve seen in social media comments today, there seem to be plenty of people who think Tennessee shouldn’t be ranked at all.

 

[orange parmejohn]

I'm actually happy. I love it when we are disrespected. It makes winning even more enjoyable. Everyone will look stupid doubting us after we go 11-1 and win the SEC.

I don’t think we were disrespected at all. We lost a lot of key pieces and are a complete ? at QB.

 

[MontyPython]

The cocks ranked at 13?

That's a fine bunch of hooey malarkey right there, dagnabbit.

 

[MontyPython]

Totally meaningless. Case in point, here are the preseason and final 2024 Coaches Polls:

2024 Coaches Poll Ranking
School	Final Rank	Preseason Rank
Ohio State	1	2
Notre Dame	2	7
Texas	3	4
Oregon	4	3
Penn State	5	9
Georgia	6	1
Arizona State	7	—
Tennessee	8	15
Boise State	9	—
Indiana	10	—
Clemson	11	14
SMU	11	—
Ole Miss	13	6
BYU	14	—
Iowa State	15	—
Illinois	16	—
Alabama	17	5
Miami	18	—
South Carolina	19	—
Missouri	20	11
Army	21	—
Syracuse	22	—
Memphis	23	—
Nevada-Las Vegas	24	—
Colorado	25	—

"Totally meaningless"?

I mean the top 4 pre-season picks all finished in the top 6.

The top-6 pre-season picks all finished in the top 10.

Statistically, this be "correlation"... Ain't no dartboard.

 

[The Original Fade]

It's a coach's poll, isn't it?

At nearly every school some random grad assistant is the one doing it. You actually think guys like Heupel and Smart are sitting down at their desk and spending time on this?

 

[MontyPython]

Wait... Illinois at #12?

OK literally what the ****?

Illinois has a grand total of three 4* and 5* players OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS. Three! That's it. Total.

We've had 43.

Does Illinois have the most genius coach / easiest schedule ever to grace this game or is their NIL collective golden-showering the planet? Pretty sure our 2nd team starters would drill them into next week.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

At nearly every school some random grad assistant is the one doing it. You actually think guys like Heupel and Smart are sitting down at their desk and spending time on this?

Time. No.

If I were an HC, a basic ballpark list, say the ESPN top 25 or whatever, comes to me and I pencil in and out, up and down in 30 seconds or less.

 

[Big Orange Captain]

Wonder where they would have us ranked if Nico was still on the team? It seems they put a big emphasis on teams that have a good returning QB coming back such as South Carolina and Florida.